AN Composite Propellants

Fig. 7. Best-fit agreement between experimental and calculated ignition data for PBAA/AN composite propellant (P8). Key O, pure-oxidizer environment A, oxidizer-nitrogen environment at 55 psia total pressure.

Similar to nitramine composite propellants and TAGN composite propellants, AN composite propellants produce halogen-free combustion products and thus represent smokeless propellants. However, their ballistic properties are inferior to those of other composite propellants the burning rate is too low and the pressure exponent is too high to permit fabrication of rocket propellant grains. In addition, the mechanical properties of AN composite propellants vary with temperature due to the phase transitions of AN particles. 

Gombustion catalysts are needed to obtain complete combustion of AN composite propellants. Ghromium compounds such as chromium trioxide (Gt203), ammonium dichromate ((NH4)2Ct207), and copper chromite (CuCr204) are known to... 

---